Who Has the Right?
Consider, for a second, 1 Samuel 24: 4-16.
Here we have David, confronted with a choice. David knows that Saul is after him and, quite frankly, won’t stop until David ceases to exist. Now granted, Saul’s real issue is not so much with David but with the LORD’s decision, but that’s another matter for another day. David is confronted with a very real choice here to end this entire situation with a swift cut from his sword.
For a moment, ask yourself: wouldn’t David be justified in doing it?
Doesn’t he have the “right” to take Saul’s life?
David asks himself the same question, and with the encouragement of his men, even takes steps to exact his revenge on the man who had caused so many complications in his life: he cuts off the corner of his robe.
And then he stops.
And remembers.
David remembered that the LORD is the One with any right to do anything, not David. He asked himself, “What is God’s heart for this situation?” Because the interaction that follows between David and Saul is that of the heart. David asks, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm?’ Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hands in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against the Lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed. See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.”
David understood that we don’t have the right to simply cut when the sword and opportunity are available. We, as followers of Jesus, are bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6 mentions this fact in this way). We no longer have the “right” to react in whatever form or fashion strikes us in the moment. That’s not to say that there won’t be moments of temptation. Moments when the right word will cut to the very marrow of the person we’re dealing with. And maybe we’re even “justified” in responding that way. Maybe there is an offense that requires some form of loving confrontation. But the key there is love. There’s a song that says, “(In this hand) is bitterness. We want to taste it and let the hatred numb our sorrow. But the wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and to tomorrow.”
We can choose to speak words of death into a situation and take revenge and have the matter cease on the spot. Or we can choose to speak life into the situation. We can choose to bless rather than curse, do good rather than mistreat and love rather than hate (Luke 6:27-29). We are bought at a price…do we even have the “luxury” of withholding grace? We live forgiven lives, and we forgive from that same place.
In verse 16, Saul begins to weep. Real and honest tears. And from David’s choice to let the “right” pass him by and surrender that choice to the Lord alone…to love rather than hate, to surrender whatever backlash or glory that would come of Saul’s death to the Lord…came the hope of real and full restoration.
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